The city of Ascoli Piceno has confirmed its growing international role in sport policies by successfully hosting the World Congress of Best Sport Practices by ACES, bringing together institutions, cities and partners from across the globe.

The event took place on April 17 between the historic venues of Palazzo dell’Arengo and the Teatro dei Filarmonici, gathering delegations from three continents and reinforcing the importance of sport as a driver of social, economic and cultural development.

More than 60 projects from four continents (Europe, America, Asia and Africa), presented by around 40 cities, showcased innovative, inclusive and sustainable models aimed at improving citizens’ quality of life through sport. The outcomes of this global exchange have been compiled into a comprehensive publication produced by ACES in collaboration with the Municipality of Ascoli Piceno, with the support of international organisations such as UNESCO Fit for Life and UN Tourism.

The Congress concluded with the prestigious Best Sport Practice Award, where the audience selected the overall winner among six outstanding finalists. The victory went to the Alpe Cimbra Community (Italy), recognised for its strong commitment to inclusion and its impactful sport-based initiatives.

Several other territories were also honoured for excellence in different categories:

Cota (Colombia) for health and wellbeing
Primorje-Gorski Kotar (Croatia) for social impact
Veszprém-Balaton Region (Hungary) for innovation
Arnhem (Netherlands) for sustainability
Naples (Italy) for sport tourism and economic development

The strong international participation—27 delegations from 10 countries—highlighted the global relevance of the ACES network and its mission to promote sport as a key tool for inclusive and sustainable growth.

With this successful event, Ascoli Piceno further strengthens its position as a global reference point for sport policies and best practices, consolidating the vision of ACES to connect cities and territories through innovation, cooperation and excellence in sport.